Toe iron for safety ski bindings

ABSTRACT

The soleholder is connected by a carrying member to a baseplate that is fixed to the ski. Forces which are harmless to the leg of the skier and act on the soleholder transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski will be elastically taken up so that the toe portion of the boot will be moved substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski. The toe portion of the boot will be released by the soleholder after a transverse movement performed in response to a sustained action of a dangerous force. The carrying member is freely rotatably mounted on the baseplate and in its normal position is locked relative to the baseplate. The soleholder is mounted on the carrying member to be movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski to both sides against the force of a spring. The carrying member is adapted to be released from the baseplate in response to the transverse movement of the soleholder.

United States latent Inventor Gunter Adam Straubing, Germany Appl. No. 704,000 Filed Dec. 10, 11960 Patented Aug. 3, W711 Assignee Marines Marker Garmlsch-Pnrtenhlrchen, Germany Priority Wee. 20, 1907 Germany P 15 78 702.7

TOE IRON FOR SAFETY SKll BlNlDllNGfi 3,037,785 6/1962 Place 3,105,696 10/1963 Rehacek AhS'l'lll/TCT: The soleholder is connected by a carrying member to a baseplate that is fixed to the ski. Forces which are harmless to the leg of the skier and act on the soleholder transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski will be elastically taken up so that the toe portion of the boot will be moved substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski. The toe portion of the boot will be released by the soleholder after a transverse movement performed in response to a sustained action of a dangerous force. The carrying member is freely rotatably mounted on the baseplate and in its normal position is locked relative to the baseplate. The soleholder is mounted on the carrying member to be movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski to both sides against the force of a spring. The carrying member is adapted to be released from the baseplate in response to the transverse movement of the soleholder.

Patented Aug. 3,, 11'

6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 3,596,919

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.5

Fig.5 2

Patented Augm 3, 1971 3,596,919

6 Sheets-Sheet 4L Patented Aug. 3, 1971 3,596,919

6 Sheets-5heet s Patented Aug. 3, 1971 3,596,919

6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. 74

'llUlE IRON IF UR SAFETY Sllill lllillNlDllNG The, present invention relates to toe irons for safety ski bindings, in which toe iron the soleholder is connected by a carrying member to a baseplate that is fixedto the ski, and forces which are harmless to the leg of the skier and act on the soleholder transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski will be elastically taken up so that the toe portion of the boot will be moved substantially traversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, whereas the toe portion of the boot will be released by the soleholder after a transverse movement performed in response to a sustained action of a dangerous force.

In known toe irons of that kind, the soleholder is slidable in a guide, which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and the soleholder is movable forwardly when it has performed a predetermined transverse displacement. To this end, the guide which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski is provided on a carriage, which is slidably guided in the longitudinal direction of the ski on a baseplate, which is secured to the ski and has a soleholder-abutting surface, which determines the extent of the transverse displacement. Resilient means are provided, which tend to hold the soleholder in its normal position and return it from any displaced position to its initial position.

These known toe irons have the disadvantage that the resilient means act to return the soleholder to its initial position even when the soleholder has reached its release position,

in which the toe iron should enable a release of the toe portion of the boot. Because the resistance presented by the spring increases progressively as the soleholder is moved from its normal position, this resistance will be so large in the release position that the soleholder does not release the toe portion of the boot. On the other hand, the resistance presented by the toe portion of the boot is so large that the same cannot be returned to its normal position. The boot is thus retained on the ski in an oblique position relative to the longitudinal direction of the ski so that the skier can no longer control the ski and is bound to fall. In an adverse case, this fall may require a release of the skiing boot in a direction which is opposite to that corresponding to the above-described clamping position so that the soleholder must now be moved beyond its normal position to its other limiting position. This displacement is twice that which is normally required and involves twice the normal time required for a release so that the risk of an injury is increased once more.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the known toe irons which have been described in such a manner that they provide for an exact release point at the end of the damping movement and the pressure exerted by the soleholder on the toe portion of the boot disappears virtually suddenly when this release position is reached so that a retention of the skiing boot is an intermediate position will be reliably avoided.

Based on a toe iron for safety ski bindings, in which toe iron the soleholder is connected by a carrying member to a baseplate that is fixed to the ski, and forces which are harmless to the leg of the skier and act on the soleholder transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski will be elastically taken up so that the toe portion of the boot will be moved substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, whereas the toe portion of the boot will be released by the soleholder after a transverse movement performed in response to a sustained action of a dangerous force, this object is accomplished according to the invention in that the carrying member is freely rotatably mounted on the baseplate and in its normal position is locked relative to the baseplate, the soleholder is mounted on the carrying member to be movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski to both sides against the force of a spring, and the carrying member is adapted to be released from the baseplate in response to the transverse movement of the soleholder. When the soleholder has reached its predetermined release position, the carrying member will be released for free rotation on the baseplate so that the soleholder can move laterally and forwardly and the skiing boot will not be held by the toe iron.

In a special embodiment of the toe iron according to the invention, the locking means may comprise a locking member, which is slidably mounted in the carrying member and in dependence on the position of the soleholder relative to the carrying member locks the latter against a movement relative to the baseplate or the soleholder. When the carrying member is released, the spring remains stressed and the soleholder cannot return to its normal position on the carrying member until the latter has been swung back by hand to its normal position relative to the baseplate. This return of the soleholder will then be automatically effected.

In a preferred embodiment of the toe iron according to the invention, the carrying member is locked relative to the baseplate by a spring-loaded detent member when the toe iron is in position for use. When a sustained force overcoming the detent resistance acts then on the soleholder, the carrying member will be unlocked to be freely rotatable on the baseplate. The soleholder is pivotally movable toward the toe portion of ski so that the toe portion of the boot is released by the toe iron. The spring between the carrying member and the soleholder is stressed before the unlocking and is allowed to relax at the time when the carrying member is released so that a momentum tending to open the toe iron is imparted to the carrying member.

The soleholder may be transversely slidably mounted on the carrying member in a known dovetail guide provided on the carrying member. The spring opposing the movement of the soleholder on the carrying member may consist of a helical tension spring. In this case, the spring wire ends are suitably laterally bent toward the soleholder and extend past an abutment portion of the carrying member into recesses of the soleholder. Alternatively, the spring opposing the movement of the soleholder may be a helical compression spring, which bears at both ends on the soleholder and on the carrying member, respectively.

In a development of the toe iron according to the invention, in which toe iron the carrying member is locked to the baseplate by a detent in position for use, the carrying member when in its unlocked condition may be capable of a limited displacement along its axis of rotation. This arrangement will prevent a clamping of the sole of the boot when said sole is inclined relative to the surface of the ski, and the arrangement will also enable a safety release in response to a rearward fall, provided that the detent device is properly designed. In a desirable embodiment of the toe iron according to the invention, the baseplate consists of two parts, which are normally firmly connected to each other and one of which is adapted to be screw connected to the ski whereas the carrying member and with it the soleholder are mounted on the other part. In this embodiment, the two parts may be screw connected in such a manner they can be set to a desired spacing at right angles to the surface of the ski. In this way, the soleholder can be adjusted to soles differing in thickness. This adjustment is preferable to the normal adjustment of the soleholder in height becaiise the sole-engaging points of the soleholder may be as close as possible to the axis on which the carrying member is pivoted to the baseplate.

Ifa detent device is used to lock the carrying member to the baseplate and the carrying member is capable of a limited displacement along its axis of rotation, the detent socket may be mounted on the baseplate for an adjustment parallel to the axis of rotation of the carrying member. In this case, the detent device serves also to prevent an axial displacement of the carrying member. The adjustment of the detent socket in height will then effect an adjustment of the soleholder to soles differing in thickness.

Various embodiments of the toe iron according to the invention will now be described more fully and by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing a toe iron according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the toe iron of FIG. ll,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the toe iron of FIG. 2 immediately before the release FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing the toe iron of FIG. 2 in released position,

FIG. 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing a second embodiment,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI in FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing the toe iron of FIG. 5 immediately before the release,

FIG. 8 is a top plan view showing the toe iron of FIG. 7 in released position,

FIG. 9 is a side elevation showing a third embodiment of the toe iron,

FIG. 10 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing the toe iron of FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 is a top plan view showing the toe iron of FIGS. 9 and 10,

FIG. 12 is a top plan view showing the toe iron of FIG. 11 immediately before the release,

FIG. 13 is atop plan view showing the toe iron of FIG. 11 in released position and FIG. 14 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing the toe iron of FIG. 10 with the carrying member in an upwardly displaced position. A-

In the embodiment of the toe iron shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a baseplate 1 is connected by screws 14 to the ski 2 and a carrying member 3 is pivoted on a pivot pin 4 fixed to the baseplate.

l. The carrying member consists of an angle, which has a vertical upright flange 5 formed on its outside with a dovetail guide, which in the normal position of the toe iron is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski. A soleholder 6 has a dovetail portion 10 which is slidably received in the guide. The soleholder may be made from a plastics material which has a low coefficient of friction. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the baseplate 1 has a slot, in which the horizontal leg of the carrying member 3 is accommodated. The lower portion of the leg 5 is formed with a central bore 8, which is parallel to the ski and retains a ball 7, which has a diameter that is approximately twice the wall thickness of the adjacent portion of the leg 5. The ball serves as a locking member and when the toe iron is in normal position that portion of the ball which protrudes from the leg 5 is received by a detent groove 9 formed in the baseplate 1. A movement of the ball to the right in FIG. 1 is prevented by the soleholder 6 so that the carrying member 3 is locked to the baseplate 1 against rotation when the toe iron is in normal position.

The dovetail portion 10 of the soleholder 6 is provided with conicalrecesses 11 and 12, which in the normal position of the soleholder, shown in FIG. 2, are disposed in the same horizontal plane as and on opposite sides of the ball 7 at a distance therefrom which corresponds to the damping displacement and the ball. These recesses have the same depth as the detent groove 9 formed in the baseplate 1. A helical tension spring 13 is disposed above the baseplate l and extends parallel to the leg 5 of the carrying member 3. The wire ends of said spring are laterally bent toward the soleholder 6 and extend past the leg 5 into recesses of the soleholder. The soleholder 6 is thus held by the two spring wire ends in its normal position on the carrying member 3.

When the soleholder 6 is acted upon by a force which is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the ski and exceeds the initial stress of the spring 13, said force will cause a displacement of the soleholder on the carrying member 3. When the force decreases, the spring 13 will return the soleholder to its normal position. When the soleholder 6 is acted upon by a large force, which endangers the leg of the skier, the soleholder will initially be displaced on the carrying member transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski against the force of the spring 13 (FIG. 3). As soon as the recess 11 registers with the ball 7, the latter will be urged out of the detent groove 9 by the force acting on the carrying member 3 because owing to the presence of the recess 11 the soleholder 6 no longer forms a abutment for the ball. The carrying member is now released from the baseplate and can freely rotate about the pivot pin 4 into the release position shown in FIG. 4. The baseplate forms the abutment for the ball 7. When the skiing boot has been released, the toe iron remains in its released position shown in FIG. 4. To make the toe iron again ready for use, it is sufficient to swing back the carrying member 3 to its normal position, in which the baseplate I no longer prevents a displacement of the ball 7. The soleholder will then be automatically returned because the spring 13 is still stressed and causes a displacement of the ball in the detent groove 9 and consequently an unlocking of the soleholder from the carrying member 3 and a return of the soleholder.

FIGS. 5 to 8 show a second embodiment of the toe iron according to the invention. Just as in the embodiment described before, the toe iron has a baseplate 15, which is connected by screws 14 to the ski 2. A carrying member 17 is rotatably mounted on a pivot pin 16, which is riveted to the baseplate. At its end directed toward the tip of the ski, the carrying member has a bore, which is parallel to the axis and in which a detent ball 18 is mounted, which is biased by a'helical compression spring 19. This spring bears on a screw cap 20, which is threaded into a screw-threaded upper end portion of the bore. The baseplate 15 is formed with a detent socket in the form of a bore, which receives the detent-ball 18 when the toe iron is ready for use. At its end directed toward the rear end of the ski, the carrying member 17 is provided with a dovetail guide, which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski when the toe iron is in normal position. Just as in the embodiment described before, a mating dovetail portion 22 of a soleholder 21 is slidably mounted in said guide. The carrying member is provided with a bore, which is parallel to the soleholder guide and open at both ends and accommodates a helical compression spring 23. Just as with the spring 13 of the toe iron described before, the wire ends of the spring 23 are laterally bent toward the soleholder 21 and extend into recesses of the soleholder. The spring is prestressed as required and acts to hold the soleholder in its normal position on the carrying member 17. Just as in the toe iron shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the soleholder 21 will be displaced in this embodiment transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski on the carrying member 17 when a force which exceeds the initial stress of the spring acts on the soleholder. When the force decreases, the spring will return the soleholder to its normal position. When the soleholder 21 is acted upon by a force which is dangerous to the leg of the skier, the soleholder will be displaced transversely to the longitudinal direction of the spring on the carrying member against the force of the spring 23 (see FIG. 7). If this force is sustained, it will act on the ball detent means so as to open the toe iron. When the detent resistance has been overcome, virtually no effort will be required to rotate the carrying member 17 about the pivot pin 16. The spring 23 is stressed before the unlocking of the carrying member and will be allowed to relax as soon as the carrying member is unlocked. The relaxing spring will impart to the carrying member a momentum in an opening sense. After the safety release of the toe iron, the same can be returned into position for use in that the carrying member 17 is swung back.

The resistance of the toe iron to a release is adjusted in known manner by an operation of the screw cap to change the initial stress of the helical compression spring 19.

A third embodiment of a toe iron according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 9 14. In this embodiment, the baseplate consists of two parts 25, 16, which are normally firmly connected to each other. Part 25 can be screwed to the ski. A carrying member 27 is mounted on part 26. A threaded bolt 28 is riveted to the baseplate part 25 and is screw threaded to part 26, which for this purpose is provided with a suitable tapped bushing 29. The tapped bushing 29 forms also the pivot pin for the carrying member 27. At that end which is directed toward the tip of the ski, the baseplate part 26 extends upwardly and is formed with a recess forming the detent socket of a ball detent device. A screw 30 is provided to hold the baseplate part 26 normally against a rotation relative to the baseplate part 25. The carrying member 27 has a horizontal longitudinal bore 31, which receives the ball 32 and the helical compression spring 33 of the detent device. The spring 33 bears on an axially displaceable abutment 34. An adjusting screw 35 is threaded into a vertical tapped hole of the carrying member and rotatable to displace the abutment 34 so as to vary the initial stress of the helical compression spring 33. When the detent mechanism has been unlocked, the carrying member 27 is freely rotatable and axially displaceable on the bushing 29. The axial displacement is limited by a stop screw 36, which in the normal position of the toe iron extends into an axial bore of the threaded bolt 28.

The last-mentioned embodiment is similar to those described hereinbefore in that a soleholder 37 is mounted on the carrying member 27 and in the normal position of the toe iron is displaceable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski against the force of a helical compression spring 38,

one-half of which is accommodated in a recess 39 of the soleholder whereas the other half is accommodated in a recess 40 of the carrying member 27. To enable a mounting of the soleholder with the spring, the recess 40 is open at one end and can be closed by a cover 411 when the soleholder and spring have been inserted. The cover 41 is held by a screw 42 on the carrying member 27. The response of this toe iron to forces acting on the soleholder in a direction which is trans verse to the longitudinal direction of the ski is similar to that of the toe iron of FIGS. 5 to 8, but the carrying member 27 is capable of a limited axial displacement when the detent has been unlocked. This feature ensures a much more reliable release of the toe portion of the boot by the toe iron. Besides, this toe iron enables a safety release in response to a rearward fall, provided that the detent device is properly designed.

The use of a bipartite baseplate enables an adaptation of the soleholder 37 to soles differing in thickness. For this purpose, the screw 30 is loosened to unlock the baseplate part 26'relative to the baseplate part 25. Complete revolutions of the baseplate part 26 carrying the carrying member 27 and the soleholder 37 about the threaded bolt 28 will then increase or decrease the height of part 26. When the soleholder has thus been adjusted to the desired height, the screw 30 is tightened to lock the baseplate part 26 to the baseplate part 25.

What I claim is:

1. In a toe iron for safety ski bindings, in which toe iron the soleholder is connected by a carrying member to a baseplate that is fixed to the ski, and forces which are harmless to the leg of the skier and act on the soleholder transversely to the Iongitudinal direction of the ski are elastically taken up so that the toe portion of the boot is moved substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, whereas the toe portion of the boot is released by the soleholder after the transverse movement performed in response to a sustained action of a dangerous force, the improvement comprising the carrying member freely rotatably mounted on the baseplate, locking means for locking the carrying member in its normal position relative to the baseplate, the soleholder being mounted on the carrying member, a guide means provided for transverse sliding movement of the soleholder relative to said carrying member transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and a spring providing a force against which the soleholder acts, the locking means unlocking and the carrying member being released from the baseplate in response to a predetermined transverse sliding movement of the soleholder relative to the carrying member.

2. In a toe iron according to claim l the further improvement of the locking means comprising a locking member slidably mounted in the carrying member and in dependence on the position of the soleholder relative to the carrying member selectively locking the carrying member against a movement relative to one of the baseplate and the soleholder.

3. In a toe iron according to claim l, the further improvement of the carrying member being locked relative to the baseplate by a spring-loaded detent member when the toe iron is in osition for use.

4. n a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the soleholder being transversely slidably mounted on the carrying member in a dovetail guide provided on the carrying member.

5. In a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the spring opposing the movement of the soleholder being a helical tension spring.

6. In a toe iron according to claim .5, the further improvement of the spring wire ends being laterally bent toward the soleholder and extending past an abutment portion of the carrying member into recesses defined in the soleholder.

7. in a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the spring opposing the movement of the soleholder being a helical compression spring which bears at both ends on the soleholder and the carrying member, respectively.

8. In a toe iron according to claim 3, the further improvement of the carrying member when in its unlocked condition being capable of a limited displacement along its axis of rotation.

9. In a toe iron according to claim l, the further improvement of the baseplate consisting of two parts which are normally firmly connected to each other, and one of which is adapted to be screw connected to the ski, whereas the carrying member and with it its soleholder are connected to the other part.

10. In a toe iron according to claim 8, the further improvement of the detent socket of the detent device being mounted on the baseplate for an adjustment parallel to the axis of rotation of the carrying member. 

1. In a toe iron for safety ski bindings, in which toe iron the soleholder is connected by a carrying member to a baseplate that is fixed to the ski, and forces which are harmless to the leg of the skier and act on the soleholder transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski are elastically taken up so that the toe portion of the boot is moved substantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, whereas the toe portion of the boot is released by the soleholder after the transverse movement performed in response to a sustained action of a dangerous force, the improvement comprising the carrying member freely rotatably mounted on the baseplate, locking means for locking the carrying member in its normal position relative to the baseplate, the soleholder being mounted on the carrying member, a guide means provided for transverse sliding movement of the soleholder relative to said carrying member transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski, and a spring providing a force against which the soleholder acts, the locking means unlocking and the carrying member being released from the baseplate in response to a predetermined transverse sliding movement of the soleholder relative to the carrying member.
 2. In a toe iron according to claim 1 the further improvement of the locking means comprising a locking member slidably mounted in the carrying member and in dependence on the position of the soleholder relative to the carrying member selectively locking the carrying member against a movement relative to one of the baseplate and the soleholder.
 3. In a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the carrying member being locked relative to the baseplate by a spring-loaded detent member when the toe iron is in position for use.
 4. In a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the soleholder being transversely slidably mounted on the carrying member in a dovetail guide provided on the carrying member.
 5. In a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the spring opposing the movement of the soleholder being a helical tension spring.
 6. In a toe iron according to claim 5, the further improvement of the spring wire ends being laterally bent toward the soleholder and extending past an abutment portion of the carrying member into recesses defined in the soleholder.
 7. In a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the spring opposing the movement of the soleholder being a helical compression spring which bears at both ends on the soleholder and the carrying member, respectively.
 8. In a toe iron according to claim 3, the further improvement of the carrying member when in its unlocked condition being capable of a limited displacement along its axis of rotation.
 9. In a toe iron according to claim 1, the further improvement of the baseplate consisting of two parts which are normally firmly connected to each other, aNd one of which is adapted to be screw connected to the ski, whereas the carrying member and with it its soleholder are connected to the other part.
 10. In a toe iron according to claim 8, the further improvement of the detent socket of the detent device being mounted on the baseplate for an adjustment parallel to the axis of rotation of the carrying member. 